Abstract

Wild geese are increasing in agricultural and urban settings across Europe, leading to widespread human - geese interactions. This study examined how the public's acceptance of geese (attitude and acceptance capacity) varied depending on place dimensions, interactions with geese in different settings (place-based experience), and psychological factors, including wildlife value orientations, beliefs about the ecosystem services and disservices geese provide, and emotions. A survey was conducted in two municipalities with large goose populations in Sweden; Kristianstad and orebro (n = 898). Results revealed a favorable view of the occurrence of geese, although a substantial share believed the number of geese was too high. Place-based experiences of geese were correlated with acceptance (e.g., more experience on beaches was associated with a negative attitude) and the importance of psychological factors for acceptance was confirmed. The study highlights the need to consider the public's experiences of geese for sustainable goose management.

Keywords

Wild geese; public acceptance; place-based experiences; cognitions; emotions

Published in

Human Dimensions of Wildlife
2020, volume: 25, number: 5, pages: 421-437
Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

Authors' information